Intel P4 chipset pricing

The high price of Intel's i850 chipset is one of the factors that is keeping Pentium 4 systems and motherboards out of the mainstream. The Register posted up some pricing forecasts for various Intel chipsets. The i850 goes for a whopping US$75 right now, compared to the normal price of $30-$40 for a chipset. That price will come down to $56.50 on December 31st, and then to $53 on March 31st, 2001. That's still pretty high, especially compared to the i815 for the Pentium III, which will be $31.50 at that point. This pricing just goes to show that moving a chip into the mainstream is a combination of things, including getting motherboard and chipset prices down. Pentium 4 motherboards are currently costing $250-$300, and that's way too high for anyone who wants to build a PC on their own to bother with.